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Great Kanto Earthquake - 1923

In 1923, a major earthquake - known as the "Great Kanto" quake - devastated Tokyo and nearby Yokohama on September 1. It remains one of the most destructive quakes in recorded history.

In this historic footage, we see the impact of the disaster on the lives of the Japanese people (about 142,800 died) and their surroundings.

Japan-guide.com has photos of the disaster on its website. They provide some indication of its massive impact.

The quake struck, without warning, while many people were home for lunch. Worsening the disaster, overturned kitchen stoves caused fires which rapidly spread throughout the city. Ninety percent of homes in the harbor town of Yokohama were destroyed while residents of Toyko lost 350,000 dwellings.